On Monday, July 8, the Catskills CRAFT group will meet at Heather Ridge Farm in Preston Hollow, NY, at 5 p.m. Catskills CRAFT (Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training) is an educational networking group for beginning and mentoring farmers. Gardeners, farm interns, employees and operators are welcome to attend.
Carol Clement and John Harrison of Heather Ridge Farm have been in Preston Hollow for over 30 years. They raise grass-fed beef and lamb, pastured pigs, chickens and turkeys. They also have llamas, bees, and a donkey. Carol runs "The Bees Knees Cafe" and farm store where they serve lunch and have a wide variety of local products for sale.
Carol will discuss diversifying a farm business and participating in cooperative ventures to further the farm's mission and goals. The group will share a potluck supper following the activities.
For more details on Catskills CRAFT and the monthly farm visits planned throughout 2013, visit www.catskillscraft.org. Contact Eleanor Blakeslee-Drain at info@catskillscraft.org or (607) 267-0184 for more information or to inquire about available transportation.
Catskills CRAFT is made possible with leadership support from Catskills region farmers, financial support from Farmhearts, and administrative support from the Watershed Agricultural Council. For more information on Farmhearts, please visit www.farmhearts.org.
The purpose of the Watershed Agricultural Council is to protect both the rural, land-based economy of the watershed region and its drinking water quality for over nine million people. Working with farmers, agribusinesses, forest landowners, forest industry professionals and others, the Council seeks to enhance both business profitability and environmental stewardship. It also champions the use of conservation easements as an option to keep land within a working landscape context. The Council works through partnerships with other nonprofit organizations, government agencies and community stakeholders to achieve its purpose. For more information, visit www.nycwatershed.org.
a pickling eggs demonstration at Channery Hill Farm in June 2013.
